Greenough



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J. .I? GBEENOUGH. Paper Bag Machine.

Patented Feb. 3; 1863 w .L m w 1 I 0/ In Invemfar z A L; xww

yziizedsed' 5' v 2sh 't-Sh t2. J. J. GREENOUGH. Paper Bag Machine.-

7 Patented Feb. 3, 1863.

UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN JAMES GREENOUGH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PAPER-BAG MACHINE.

Spepification forming part of Letters Patent No. 37,573 dated February 3, 1863.

' tain my said invention, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of the machine, showing the course ofthe paper through the different processes. Fig. 2is a front elevation. Fig. 3 is a side elevation. Fig. 4 is a'folding-knife in action; Fig. 5, the folding-guide enlarged Fig. (l, rollers for sideflap fold; Fig. 7, cutters for forming the blank (enlarged Fig. 8, roll of paper with a portion passing through the machine, showing the different stages of cutting and folding, (the paper in all the figures is shown by red Ifnesfl Fig. l 9, modified form or" envelope, blank; Fig. 10, glimmer for curved edges.

Heretofore the machinery for making paper bags and other envelopes, 860., has been complex, involving a series of varied motions liable to derangement, which, together with the diversity of the operations, retard the rapid manufacture and produce uncertainty and imperfection that is wholly avoided in my device.

By myinvention I have rendered the making of pager bags, &c., of any size simple, cheap, an rapid by passing the paper through a continuohs series of rollers without stopping, byiwhich the whole operation for completing the article for the market is performed.

To render machinery for making paper bags or envelopes of any practical use they must I be formed with great rapidity. This makes the relative position of various parts of the machine a matter of great importance in orderto insure accurate work at such high velocities, and in fact in this machine the order in which some of the operations are performed determines thepossibility of properly performing them. v

. It may be proper to add thatwhile many of the devices herein used are not new per so,

they have either new functions to perform or are combined with other devices so as to cause a morc'i'apidexecution of the work or a more perfect article of manufacture.

I shall first describe the machine represented in the drawings, and then add thereto a description of some of the principal modificaratus. The eutt tions' contemplated to adapt it to various purposes. I

In the description of the machinery I shall follow the course of the paper from the roll to the perfected article. The severalrollers and other parts are arranged in a suitable frame in the relative positions shown in the drawings or in any other found most convenient to perform the successive operations herein described. A rollof paper, a, is placed in the machine, as seen at Figs. 1 and 3, supported on a proper axis resting in bearin gs on the frame,

so as to revolve to allow the paper to unwind.

This may have friction applied to its surface to keep it smooth and tight. From the roll the paper is carried down around a small roller, b, which may be covered with india-rubber or otherwise, and presses against the cutting- I cylinder 0. The paper passes betweensaid roller 11 and thecylindcrc as'seen in 'Fig'." 1*,"

and is drawn tight over the cutting-cylinder, passing under the cuttingknives k, where its two sides are cut into the proper shape to form the sides of the bag properly, (see Fig. 8,) which form can be varied, as seen at Fig. 9.

a The knives k k revolve, and are made to fit the cutting-cylinder at their edges. They are affixed to proper disks, k, and their edges revolve in contact with the cutting-cylinder c. This cutting apparatus should be of a circumference exactly equal to one or more of the a1- ticles to be made. A straight or other formed knifeflc runs across from one side cutter to the other in a line parallel to the axis or such curve as the form of the work requires, so as to out the paper across where the bag or other article is to he'separated. I prefer to make the edge of this knife k serrated, so as not to out the paper entirely of, that it may be properly directed through the succeeding appais shown enlarged in projeetion'atFig, 7. To cause the knife k to act properly a piece vofindia-rubber, or its equiva-' lent, c, is inserted into a groove in the cylinder 0, opposite the said knife is. This is essential to its perfect'action if no radial motion is given to the knife, as may be done. .From the cutting cylinder 0 the paper blank, properly cut into form, passes onto the side-creasing or flap rollers c a, while the waste strips insures the separation of the waste portion from the. form or blank if the cut is not perfectly made. Between the rollers e e, the side flap is turned and creased by means of an en.- largement on each end of the roller 6' that projects beyond the roller 0 at any convenient and suff cient angle to turn andcrease the projecting edge of the paper that forms the 'side' fold or flap. This is clearly represented in Fig. 6, which is a plan of said rollers. The paper blank next passes between the guides f, (see Fig. 5,) which turn the flap .or side fold inward, as represented at ff, Fig. 8. The foldis then pressed fiat by passing between the plain rollers g. The paper thence passes down to the gumniing-di'sks k, that dip into'a reservoir, h containing proper adhesive material, and

convey it to the paper as it passes between them and the rollers it. These disks are of plain thin metal, but may be covered with rubber or other material,if desired. It is necessary to have a scraper or doctor to regulate the quantity of gum elevated by the disks; but as all this kind of apparatus is so well known in conveying size, gum, ink, and like substances to paper, no description thereof is necessary. After the paper has descended far enough to'bring the line w or (see Fig. 8) opposite the point a, Fig. 1, the foldert' strikes it with a quick motion and folds it between two rollers, 2. (See Fig. 4.) This brings together the two surfaces upon which the gum or paste has been put, and the pressure of these rollers 2 causes the gummed surfaces to ad:

here, which finishes the article. The surfaces of these rollers and the preceding ones may be covered with india-rubber.

To insure an accurate speed upon all the revolving parts and cause the paper to move with equal volocity at every stage of the process, which I deem best, they should be geared together. This gearing is seen at s s, Fig. 2, and is also indicated behind the frame by blue dotted lines. A greater number of carrying or pressing rollers can be added, especially in giving pressure to the finished bag, if found necessary. As soon as the fold or double at as is drawn firmly between the rollers z a short distance the separator-plate l strikes the paper at m (see Fig. 1) and separates the bag from the other paper at the dotted line .y Fig. 8. The folder t and separator l are affixed to arms that project'from the shafts n n. (Clearly seen in Figs. 1 3.) They areheld clear of the paper by arms 0 0 (see Fig. 3) that rest against revolving disks or cams q, affixed to the shaft of cutting-cylinder c, in the edge of which cams there is a notch that the said arms 0 0 fall into, actuated by a spring or other equivalent device, as shown in Fig. 3.

If the bag or envelopeis'to be printed, I apply a printing-cylinder, the position of which may be varied, so that it be donewhile. the p iper is stretched tight at both ends between two sets of rollers. This is necessary in order to print clear while the paper is moving with the rapidity essential for the expeditious manufacture desi ed, as it would otherwise slur and render th printing indistinct; but I pre fer that shown in' Fig. 3, in which 10 is the type cylinder.

.'I do not show an i king apparatus or describe it, as it. is in com mon useand well known in a Variety f forms in the cardand job presses, as wel. as in larger printing machines.

7 If the bags, 850., are to be embossed in any way, it may be done at any convenient point, like the printing, by placing embossing rollers in the machine and passing the paper, either before or after it is folded,,between them.

I propose to make aline of embossing along the seam' of the bag or other envelope, which will serve to retain the adhesive'material and unite the edges more perfectly, the irregular surface of the embossing serving as a receptacle for the gum, &c., and concealing the seam.

Other modifications of this machine maybe made that would readily suggest themselves to a competent mechanician. The order of the folding may be changed by doubling the paper at the line as or before the side folds are made,

which brings the side folds outside. Again, in making envelopes for letters, &c., if it is desired to make the side fold broad, as seen at Fig. 9, the disk for applying the gum is made waved'on'its periphery, as seen at- Fig- 10. Where the gum is to be applied in any other line than a straight one parallel with the course of the bag through the machine, the

. conveyer of the paste or gum must conform thereto; but in these curved or irregular pasters it is better to elevate the gum from the reservoir by means of a broad roller, from which the gum is delivered onto the irregular surface.

- I propose to add a counter to this machine, which shall be thrown into action by the finished bag as it passes the finishing-rollers. The counting device is like those used for analogous purposes, and needs no further description,

, Having thus fully described my improvements, what I claim as my invention, and for which I desire to secure Letters Patent, is-

1. Forming a paper bag orother envelope by cutting the form or blank therefor from a' strip or roll by circular knives, as herein described, and then folding the same between a series of rollers without stopping the paper to perform either of the functions, the whole being combined and arranged substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. Cutting the edges of the paper in an irregular line to shape the form or blank by the cylindrical cutters, in combination with folding machinery for making bags, &c., by. a continuous operation, as above'specified.

3. The combination of the waste-rollers w, or their equivalent, for insuring the separation of the parts and removing the waste from the machine with the cutters, substantially as described.

4. Printing or embossingthe paper while it or other envelopes where'they arejoined' by adhesive material for the purpose of cementing the seams more perfectly and concealing the joints, as set forth, when the bag as formed by missing the material through a series of rollers,

substantially such as is herein set forth.

7. Turning the side fold of the blank, cutas herein described, before the bottom fold,'so as to-bring the side fold onthe inside of the bag or envelope,and securing the same to the cut lap, or side, by which a neater joint is made.

" JOHN JAMES 'GREENOUGH.

Witnesses ALBERT H. HOUK, JAMES F. RUGGLES. 

